Million dollar art heist in Netherlands

Source: Associated Press

Paintings by Picasso, Matisse, and Monet are among several stolen from a Dutch art gallery in Rotterdam.
By Toby Sterling
October 16, 2012

... The theft at the Kunsthal museum is one of the largest in years in the Netherlands, and is a stunning blow for the private Triton Foundation collection, which was being exhibited publicly as a group for the first time ...

Police spokeswoman Willemieke Romijn said investigators were reviewing videotapes of the theft, which took place around 3 a.m. local time, and calling for any witnesses to come forward. Police have yet to reveal how the heist took place.

7. From what I understand, from those who know about the subject, art theft is a power trip

Apparently, they have basements or secluded locations where they hide their art treasures... gathering to smoke cigars and relish in the idea of having something else everyone else wants. Sick bastards.

3. The Netherlands is notorious for big value heists

An Israeli friend of mine has a lot of work with his security company based in the Netherlands because the Dutch, themselves, seem to have a Swiss cheese attitude about protecting big value items. Couple that with the fact that almost no crime in the Netherlands goes severely punished, and a well-equipped band of high-tech thieves have nothing to lose by trying.